In today’s reading, we’ll tackle an encyclopedia-style passage about the geography and history of the Strait of Hormuz.
霍尔木兹海峡是连接波斯湾与阿曼湾的狭长水道,亦是波斯湾通往外海的唯一海上通道,素有”世界油库总阀门”之称。海峡北岸为伊朗伊斯兰共和国领土,设有重要港口阿巴斯港;南岸则为阿曼苏丹国的飞地穆桑代姆省以及阿拉伯联合酋长国。海峡全长约167公里(90海里),宽度介于39公里(21海里)至97公里(52海里)之间,最窄处仅约33公里。海峡中部偏近伊朗一侧有格什姆岛,为波斯湾内最大的岛屿,隶属伊朗。
战略地位
因波斯湾沿岸诸国蕴藏有全球最为丰富的石油与天然气资源,霍尔木兹海峡遂成为世界能源运输的咽喉要冲,其战略地位之重要,在全球海上贸易通道中首屈一指。2025年,每日平均约有2,000万桶原油及成品油经此海峡运输,约占全球石油海运贸易量的四分之一,相当于全球石油液体消费量的五分之一。沙特阿拉伯为经由该海峡出口原油最多的国家,约占海峡原油总流量的38%;其余出口国包括伊拉克、科威特、阿联酋、卡塔尔及伊朗。卡塔尔与阿联酋出口的液化天然气中,分别有约93%和96%须经此海峡运往国际市场,合计约占全球液化天然气贸易量的五分之一。
海峡所输出的石油主要流向亚洲市场,中国、印度、日本及韩国为四大主要进口国,合计接收了经此海峡原油流量的约69%;其中仅中国一国,约有三分之一的石油供应须经霍尔木兹海峡输入。绕行霍尔木兹海峡的替代路线极为有限:目前仅沙特阿拉伯的东西输油管道(Petroline)与阿联酋的阿布扎比输油管道(ADCOP)具备绕行能力,两者合计备用产能约为每日三至五百万桶,远不足以弥补海峡一旦关闭所造成的运输缺口。正因如此,该海峡航运之通畅与否,直接关乎全球能源安全与经济稳定。
历史沿革
霍尔木兹海峡连通波斯湾与印度洋,自古即为东西方贸易往来之要津。13世纪末,威尼斯共和国旅行家马可·波罗曾取道此地归国,并在其游记中有所记载。14世纪中叶以降,霍尔木兹王国(即中国古籍所载之”忽鲁谟斯”或”忽鲁谟厮”)崛起于海峡之畔,逐渐垄断了波斯湾湾口的贸易进出,成为印度洋与西亚大陆之间重要的商贸枢纽。
明代永乐、宣德年间,三宝太监郑和率领宝船舰队七下西洋。自永乐十一年至十三年(1413—1415年)的第四次航行起,船队首次抵达位于波斯湾湾口的忽鲁谟斯王国,此后每次远航皆必到此地。据随行通事马欢所著《瀛涯胜览》及费信所著《星槎胜览》载,忽鲁谟斯”国民皆富”,市肆繁荣,为西洋诸番之大国。《明史》更誉其为”西洋大国”,永乐、宣德两朝明廷与忽鲁谟斯王国交往甚密,使节往来频繁。时忽鲁谟斯处于以波斯语为通用语言的帖木儿帝国势力范围之内,帖木儿本人素有重建蒙古大业之志,曾多次扣押明朝使节,并筹划东征明朝,惟最终病逝于途中而作罢。故明初与帖木儿帝国及其属邦之间的外交往来,于中外关系史上具有深远意义。
16世纪初,葡萄牙人东来,霍尔木兹王国于1507年为阿方索·德·阿尔布克尔克所征服,自此海峡落入欧洲殖民势力之掌控,直至17世纪方由波斯萨非王朝收复。
Hover a word for its pinyin & meaning; click to pin it.
| Word | Pinyin | Meaning |
|---|---|---|
| 海峡 | hǎi xiá | strait; channel |
| 咽喉要冲 | yān hóu yào chōng | strategic chokepoint; vital passage |
| 蕴藏 | yùn cáng | to contain; to hold in store |
| 液化天然气 | yè huà tiān rán qì | liquefied natural gas (LNG) |
| 飞地 | fēi dì | exclave; enclave |
| 贸易枢纽 | mào yì shū niǔ | trade hub; commercial center |
| 殖民势力 | zhí mín shì lì | colonial power |
| 使节 | shǐ jié | envoy; diplomatic mission |
| 垄断 | lǒng duàn | to monopolize |
| 首屈一指 | shǒu qū yī zhǐ | second to none; the best |
| 霍 | ||
| 尔 | ěr | variant of 爾|尔[er3]; thus; so; like that; you; thou |
| 木 | Mù | surname Mu |
| 兹 | cí | used in 龜茲|龟兹[Qiu1 ci2] |
| 是 | shì | to be (followed by substantives only); correct; right; true; (respectful acknowledgement of a command) very well; (adverb for emphatic assertion); variant of 是[shi4] |
| 连接 | lián jiē | to link; to join; to connect |
| 波斯 | Bō sī | Persia |
| 湾 | wan | bay; to cast anchor |
| 与 | yú | variant of 歟|欤[yu2] |
| 阿曼 | A màn | Oman |
| 的 | de | of; ~'s (possessive particle); (used after an attribute when it modifies a noun); (used at the end of a declarative sentence for emphasis); (used after a noun, verb or adjective to… |
| 狭 | xiā | narrow |
| 长 | cháng | long; (bound form) length; (bound form) strong point; forte; (bound form) to be good at; (literary) surplus; spare (Taiwan pr. [zhang4]) |
| 水道 | shuǐ dào | watercourse (river, canal, drain etc); water route; lane (in a swimming pool) |
| 亦 | yì | also |
| 通往 | tōng wǎng | to lead to |
| 外海 | wài hǎi | offshore; open sea |
| 唯 | wēi | only; -ism (in Chinese, a prefix, often combined with a suffix such as 主義|主义[zhu3 yi4] or 論|论[lun4], e.g. 唯理論|唯理论[wei2 li3 lun4], rationalism) |
| 一 | yī | one; single; a (article); as soon as; entire; whole; all; throughout; "one" radical in Chinese characters (Kangxi radical 1); also pr. [yao1] for greater clarity when spelling out … |
| 海上 | hǎi shàng | maritime |
| 通道 | tōng dào | (communications) channel; thoroughfare; passage |
| 素有 | sù yǒu | to have; to have always had |
| 世界 | shì jiè | world |
| 油库 | yóu kù | fuel depot; fuel farm |
| 总 | zǒng | (bound form) general; overall; to sum up; in every case; always; invariably; anyway; after all; eventually; sooner or later; surely; (after a person's name) abbr. for 總經理|总经理[zong3… |
| 阀 | ||
| 门 | Mén | surname Men |
| 之 | zhī | (possessive particle, literary equivalent of 的[de5]); him; her; it |
| 称 | chèn | to fit; to match; to suit; (coll.) to have; to possess; Taiwan pr. [cheng4] |
| 北 | běi | north; (classical) to be defeated |
| 岸 | àn | variant of 岸[an4]; bank; shore; beach; coast |
| 为 | wéi | as (in the capacity of); to take sth as; to act as; to serve as; to behave as; to become; to be; to do; by (in the passive voice); variant of 為|为[wei2] |
| 伊 | ||
| 朗 | lǎng | clear; bright |
| 斯 | Sī | Slovakia; Slovak; abbr. for 斯洛伐克[Si1 luo4 fa2 ke4] |
| 兰 | lān | orchid; surname Lan |
| 共 | gòng | common; general; to share; together; total; altogether; abbr. for 共產黨|共产党[Gong4 chan3 dang3], Communist party |
| 和 | hé | old variant of 和[he2]; surname He; (literary) harmonious (variant of 和[he2]) |
| 国 | Guó | surname Guo |
| 领土 | lǐng tǔ | territory |
| 设有 | shè yǒu | to have; to incorporate; to feature |
| 重要 | zhòng yào | important; significant; major |
| 港口 | gǎng kǒu | port; harbor |
| 阿 | ā | prefix used before monosyllabic names, kinship terms etc to indicate familiarity; used in transliteration; (bound form) Afghanistan (abbr. for 阿富汗[A1 fu4 han4]); (bound form) Alban… |
| 巴 | Bā | Ba, a state during the Zhou dynasty (in present-day Chongqing and the eastern part of Sichuan); the east of Sichuan and Chongqing Municipality; surname Ba; (bound form) abbr. for 巴… |
| 港 | Gǎng | Hong Kong (abbr. for 香港[Xiang1 gang3]); surname Gang |
| 南岸 | Nán àn | see 南岸區|南岸区[Nan2 an4 Qu1] |
| 则 | zé | (literary) (conjunction used to express contrast with a previous clause) but; then; (bound form) standard; norm; (bound form) principle; (literary) to imitate; to follow; classifie… |
| 苏丹 | Sū dān | Sudan |
| 穆 | ||
| 桑 | sang | mulberry tree; surname Sang |
| 代 | dài | to be a substitute for; to act on behalf of; to replace; to substitute; generation; dynasty; age; period; (historical) era; (geological) eon |
| 姆 | mú | used in 姆媽|姆妈[m1 ma1] |
| 省 | shěng | to save; to economize; to be frugal; to omit; to delete; to leave out; province; provincial capital; a ministry (of the Japanese government) |
| 以 | yǐ | old variant of 以[yi3]; abbr. for Israel 以色列[Yi3 se4 lie4] |
| 及 | jí | and; to reach; up to; in time for |
| 拉 | lā | to pull; to play (a bowed instrument); to drag; to draw; to chat; (coll.) to empty one's bowels |
| 伯 | bō | uncle; the eldest among brothers; (honorific) count |
| 联 | lián | (bound form) to ally oneself with; to unite; to combine; to join; (bound form) (poetry) antithetical couplet |
| 合 | gě | 100 ml; one-tenth of a peck; measure for dry grain equal to one-tenth of sheng 升 or liter, or one-hundredth dou 斗; variant of 合[he2] |
| 酋 | ||
| 全长 | quán cháng | overall length; span |
| 约 | yāo | to weigh in a balance or on a scale |
| 公里 | gōng lǐ | kilometer |
| 海里 | hǎi lǐ | nautical mile |
| 宽 | Kuān | surname Kuan |
| 度 | dù | to pass; to spend (time); measure; limit; extent; degree of intensity; degree (angles, temperature etc); kilowatt-hour; classifier for events and occurrences |
| 介于 | jiè yú | between; intermediate; to lie between |
| 至 | zhì | to arrive; most; to; until |
| 之间 | zhī jiān | (after a noun) between; among; amid; (used after certain bisyllabic words to form expressions indicating a short period of time, e.g. 彈指之間|弹指之间[tan2 zhi3 zhi1 jian1]) |
| 最 | zuì | variant of 最[zui4]; old variant of 最[zui4]; (before an adjective or verb) to the highest degree; (the) most ...; -est; (after 之[zhi1]) best or most extreme example (e.g. 世界之最[shi4 jie4 zhi1 zui4] "the greatest in the world") |
| 窄 | zhái | narrow; badly off |
| 处 | chǔ | to reside; to live; to dwell; to be in; to be situated at; to stay; to get along with; to be in a position of; to deal with; to discipline; to punish |
| 仅 | jín | barely; merely |
| 中部 | zhōng bù | middle part; central section; central region |
| 偏 | pian | to lean; oblique; to deviate from average; stubbornly |
| 近 | jìn | near; close to; approximately |
| 侧 | cě | the side; to lean; lateral |
| 有 | yǒu | to have; there is; (bound form) having; with; -ful; -ed; -al (as in 有意[you3 yi4] intentional) |
| 格 | gē | used in 格登[ge1 deng1] |
| 什 | shén | what |
| 岛 | dǎo | variant of 島|岛[dao3]; island; CL:個|个[ge4],座[zuo4] |
| 内 | nèi | inside; inner; internal; within; interior |
| 大 | dà | big; large; great; older (than another person); eldest (as in 大姐[da4 jie3]); greatly; freely; fully; (dialect) father; (dialect) uncle (father's brother) |
| 屿 | yú | islet |
| 隶属 | lì shǔ | to be subordinate to; to be under the jurisdiction of |
| 战略 | zhàn lu:e4 | strategy |
| 地位 | dì wèi | position; status; place; CL:個|个[ge4] |
| 因 | yīn | old variant of 因[yin1]; cause; reason; because |
| 沿岸 | yán àn | coastal area; littoral or riparian |
| 诸 | zhu | all; various; (in 诸位 'everyone'); surname Zhu |
| 全球 | quán qíu | the whole world; worldwide; global |
| 最为 | zuì wéi | the most |
| 丰富 | fēng fù | to enrich; rich; plentiful; abundant |
| 石油 | shí yóu | oil; petroleum |
| 天然气 | tiān rán qì | natural gas |
| 资 | zī | resources; capital; to provide; to supply; to support; money; expense |
| 源 | yuān | root; origin |
| 遂 | ||
| 成为 | chéng wéi | to become; to turn into |
| 能 | Néng | surname Neng |
| 运输 | yùn shū | to transport; to carry; transportation |
| 其 | qí | his; her; its; their; that; such; it (refers to sth preceding it) |
| 在 | zài | to exist; to be alive; (of sb or sth) to be (located) at; (used before a verb to indicate an action in progress) |
| 贸 | mǎo | commerce |
| 易 | Yì | surname Yi; I Ching; Book of Changes (abbr. for 易經|易经[Yi4 jing1]) |
| 中 | Zhōng | (bound form) China; Chinese; surname Zhong |
| 年 | Nián | surname Nian; grain; harvest (old); variant of 年[nian2] |
| 每日 | měi rì | daily; (soup etc) of the day |
| 平 | Píng | surname Ping |
| 均 | jun | (bound form) equal; uniform; even |
| 万 | mò | used in 万俟[Mo4 qi2]; surname Wan |
| 桶 | tóng | bucket; barrel (of oil etc) |
| 原油 | yuán yóu | crude oil |
| 成品油 | chéng pǐn yóu | refined oil |
| 经 | Jīng | surname Jing |
| 此 | cǐ | this; these |
| 占 | zhàn | variant of 占[zhan4]; to observe; to divine |
| 海运 | hǎi yùn | shipping by sea |
| 量 | liáng | to measure |
| 四 | sì | four; 4 |
| 分之 | fēn zhī | (indicating a fraction) |
| 相当于 | xiāng dāng yú | equivalent to |
| 液 | yě | (bound form) a liquid |
| 体 | tī | used in 體己|体己[ti1 ji5]; Taiwan pr. [ti3] |
| 消 | xiāo | to diminish; to subside; to consume; to reduce; to idle away (the time); (after 不[bu4] or 只[zhi3] or 何[he2] etc) to need; to require; to take |
| 费 | Fèi | surname Fei |
| 五 | wǔ | five; 5 |
| 沙 | sha | sand; granule; (of voice) hoarse; surname Sha |
| 特 | tè | special; unique; distinguished; especially; unusual; very; abbr. for 特克斯[te4 ke4 si1], tex |
| 经由 | jīng yóu | via |
| 该 | gāi | should; ought to; probably; must be; to deserve; to owe; to be sb's turn to do sth; that; the above-mentioned |
| 出口 | chū kǒu | an exit; CL:個|个[ge4]; to speak; to export; (of a ship) to leave port |
| 最多 | zuì duō | at most; maximum; greatest (amount); maximal |
| 国家 | guó jiā | country; nation; state |
| 流 | líu | to flow; to disseminate; to circulate or spread; to move or drift; to degenerate; to banish or send into exile; stream of water or sth resembling one; class, rate or grade |
| 其余 | qí yú | the rest; the others; remaining; remainder; apart from them |
| 包 | Bāo | surname Bao |
| 括 | kuǒ | (bound form) to tie up; to tighten up; to put (text) in brackets |
| 克 | Kè | abbr. for 克羅地亞|克罗地亚[Ke4 luo2 di4 ya4], Croatia; (Tw) abbr. for 克羅埃西亞|克罗埃西亚[Ke4 luo2 ai1 xi1 ya4], Croatia; Ke (c. 2000 BC), seventh of the legendary Flame Emperors, 炎帝[Yan2 di4] descended from Shennong 神農|神农[Shen2 nong2] Farmer God; variant of 剋|克[ke4] |
| 科 | kē | branch of study; administrative section; division; field; branch; stage directions; family (taxonomy); rules; laws; to mete out (punishment); to levy (taxes etc); to fine sb; CL:個|… |
| 威 | wei | power; prestige |
| 卡塔尔 | Kǎ tǎ ěr | Qatar |
| 分别 | fēn bié | to part; to leave each other; to distinguish; to tell apart; difference; distinction; in different ways; differently; separately; individually; respectively |
| 须 | xū | must; to have to; to wait; beard; mustache; feeler (of an insect etc); tassel |
| 运 | yùn | to move; to transport; to use; to apply; fortune; luck; fate |
| 往 | wǎng | to go (in a direction); to; towards; (of a train) bound for; past; previous; old variant of 往[wang3] |
| 际 | jǐ | border; boundary; between; to meet; occasion |
| 市场 | shì chǎng | marketplace; market; bazaar; (economics) market |
| 计 | Jì | surname Ji |
| 所 | suǒ | actually; place; classifier for houses, small buildings, institutions etc; that which; particle introducing a relative clause or passive; CL:個|个[ge4] |
| 输出 | shū chū | to output; to deliver (energy, data, signals etc); to export (goods, services, technology etc) |
| 主要 | zhǔ yào | main; principal; major; primary |
| 向 | Xiàng | surname Xiang; to tend toward; to guide; variant of 向[xiang4]; variant of 向[xiang4]; direction; orientation; to face; to turn toward; to; towards; shortly before; formerly |
| 亚 | Yà | Asia; Asian; Taiwan pr. [Ya3] |
| 洲 | zhou | continent |
| 中国 | Zhōng guó | China |
| 印 | Yìn | surname Yin; abbr. for 印度[Yin4 du4], India |
| 日本 | Rì běn | Japan |
| 韩 | hán | Han (surname/state) |
| 四大 | sì dà | the four elements: earth, water, fire, and wind (Buddhism); the four freedoms: speaking out freely, airing views fully, holding great debates, and writing big-character posters, 大鳴… |
| 进口 | jìn kǒu | to import; imported; entrance; inlet (for the intake of air, water etc) |
| 接收 | jiē shōu | reception (of transmitted signal); to receive; to accept; to admit; to take over (e.g. a factory); to expropriate |
| 了 | le | (completed action marker); (modal particle indicating change of state, situation now); (modal particle intensifying preceding clause); (bound form) clear in one's mind; to understand clearly |
| 其中 | qí zhōng | among; in; included among these |
| 三分 | sān fēn | somewhat; to some degree |
| 之一 | zhī yī | one of (sth); one out of a multitude; one (third, quarter, percent etc) |
| 供 | gong | to provide; to supply |
| 应 | Yīng | surname Ying; Taiwan pr. [Ying4] |
| 输入 | shū rù | to import; to input |
| 绕 | rǎo | to wind; to rotate around; to move around; to by-pass; to confuse |
| 行 | háng | (bound form) row; line; (bound form) line of business; trade; profession; (bound form) commercial firm; (bound form) to rank (first, second etc) among one's siblings (by age); (in … |
| 替 | tǐ | to substitute for; to replace; on behalf of |
| 路线 | lù xiàn | itinerary; route; political line (e.g. right revisionist road); CL:條|条[tiao2] |
| 极 | jí | extremely; pole (geography, physics); utmost; top |
| 有限 | yǒu xiàn | limited; finite |
| 目前 | mù qián | at the present time; currently |
| 东 | Dōng | surname Dong |
| 西 | Xī | the West; abbr. for Spain 西班牙[Xi1 ban1 ya2]; Spanish |
| 输油管 | shū yóu guǎn | petroleum pipeline |
| 道 | dào | road; path (CL:條|条[tiao2],股[gu3]); (bound form) way; reason; principle; (bound form) a skill; an art; a specialization; (Daoism) the Way; the Dao; to say (introducing a direct quot… |
| 布 | bù | variant of 布[bu4]; to announce; to spread; cloth; to declare; to announce; to spread; to make known |
| 扎 | zha | to prick; mug or jug used for serving beer (loanword from "jar") |
| 比 | Bǐ | Belgium; Belgian; abbr. for 比利時|比利时[Bi3 li4 shi2] |
| 具备 | jù bèi | to possess; to have; equipped with; able to fulfill (conditions or requirements) |
| 力 | Lì | surname Li |
| 两者 | liǎng zhě | both of them; the two of them |
| 备用 | bèi yòng | reserve; spare; alternate; backup |
| 产 | chǎn | to give birth; to reproduce; to produce; product; resource; estate; property; variant of 產|产[chan3] |
| 三 | Sān | surname San |
| 百万 | bǎi wàn | million |
| 远 | yuǎn | far; distant; remote; (intensifier in a comparison) by far; much (lower etc) |
| 不足 | bù zú | insufficient; lacking; deficiency; not enough; inadequate; not worth; cannot; should not |
| 弥补 | mí bǔ | to complement; to make up for a deficiency |
| 一旦 | yī dàn | in case (sth happens); if; once (sth happens, then...); when; in a short time; in one day |
| 关 | Guān | surname Guan |
| 闭 | bì | to close; to stop up; to shut; to obstruct |
| 造 | zǎo | to make; to manufacture; to fabricate; party (in a lawsuit or legal agreement); classifier for crops |
| 成 | Chéng | surname Cheng; short name for Chengdu 成都[Cheng2 du1] |
| 缺口 | quē kǒu | nick; jag; gap; shortfall |
| 正 | zhēng | first month of the lunar year |
| 因如此 | yīn rú cǐ | because of this |
| 航运 | háng yùn | shipping; transport |
| 通 | tōng | to go through; to know well; (suffix) expert; to connect; to communicate; open; to clear; classifier for letters, telegrams, phone calls etc |
| 畅 | chǎng | free; smooth; free from worry |
| 否 | fóu | to negate; not |
| 直接 | zhí jiē | direct (opposite: indirect 間接|间接[jian4 jie1]); immediate; straightforward |
| 乎 | hu | (classical particle similar to 於|于[yu2]) in; from; than |
| 安全 | ān quán | safe; secure; safety; security |
| 经济 | jīng jì | economy; economic |
| 稳 | wén | settled; steady; stable |
| 定 | dìng | to fix; to set; to make definite; to subscribe to (a newspaper etc); to book (tickets etc); to order (goods etc); to congeal; to coagulate; (literary) definitely |
| 历 | lì | old variant of 曆|历[li4]; old variant of 歷|历[li4]; calendar; to experience; to undergo; to pass through; all; each; every; history |
| 史 | Shǐ | surname Shi |
| 沿革 | yán gé | evolution of sth over time; course of development; history |
| 连通 | lián tōng | to connect; to communicate; to relate; (math.) connected |
| 洋 | yáng | ocean; vast; foreign; silver dollar or coin |
| 自古 | zì gǔ | (since) ancient times; (from) time immemorial |
| 即为 | jí wéi | to be considered to be; to be defined to be; to be called |
| 西方 | Xī fāng | the West; the Occident; Western countries |
| 来 | lái | to come; (used as a substitute for a more specific verb); hither (directional complement for motion toward the speaker, as in 回來|回来[hui2 lai5]); ever since (as in 自古以來|自古以来[zi4 gu3… |
| 要 | yāo | (bound form) to demand; to coerce |
| 津 | jin | abbr. for Tianjin 天津[Tian1 jin1] |
| 世纪末 | shì jì mò | end of the century |
| 尼斯 | Ní sī | Nice (city in France) |
| 旅行 | lu:3 xíng | to travel; journey; trip; CL:趟[tang4],次[ci4] |
| 家马 | jiā mǎ | domestic horse |
| 可 | kě | (prefix) can; may; able to; -able; to approve; to permit; to suit; (particle used for emphasis) certainly; very; but; however |
| 波罗 | Bō luó | Polo (car made by Volkswagen); surname Polo |
| 曾 | Zēng | surname Zeng |
| 取道 | qǔ dào | via; by way of; en route to |
| 此地 | cǐ dì | here; this place |
| 归国 | guī guó | to go home (to one's native country); to return from abroad |
| 并 | bìng | and; furthermore; also; together with; (not) at all; simultaneously; to combine; to join; to merge; to combine; to amalgamate; short name for Taiyuan 太原[Tai4 yuan2]; variant of 並|并[bing4] |
| 游 | Yóu | surname You; to walk; to tour; to roam; to travel |
| 记 | jì | to record; to note; to memorize; to remember; mark; sign; classifier for blows, kicks, shots |
| 有所 | yǒu suǒ | somewhat; to some extent |
| 记载 | jì zǎi | to write down; to record; written account |
| 世纪 | shì jì | century |
| 中叶 | zhōng yè | mid- (e.g. mid-century); middle period |
| 以降 | yǐ jiàng | since (some point in the past) |
| 王国 | wáng guó | kingdom; realm |
| 即 | jí | namely; that is; i.e.; prompt; at once; at present; even if; prompted (by the occasion); to approach; to come into contact; to assume (office); to draw near |
| 古 | Gǔ | surname Gu |
| 籍 | jī | book; record; registry; native place; affiliation; surname Ji |
| 载 | zǎi | to record in writing; to carry (i.e. publish in a newspaper etc); Taiwan pr. [zai4]; year |
| 忽 | Hū | surname Hu |
| 鲁 | Lǔ | surname Lu; Lu, an ancient state of China 魯國|鲁国[Lu3 guo2]; short name for Shandong 山東|山东[Shan1 dong1] |
| 谟 | mō | plan |
| 或 | huò | maybe; perhaps; might; possibly; or |
| 厮 | ||
| 崛 | ||
| 起 | qǐ | to rise; to raise; to get up; to set out; to start; to appear; to launch; to initiate (action); to draft; to establish; to get (from a depot or counter); verb suffix, to start; sta… |
| 于 | Yú | surname Yu; (of time or place) in; at; on; (indicating any indirect relation) to; toward; vis-à-vis; with regard to; for; (indicating a source) from; out of; (used in comparison) than; (used i… |
| 畔 | pàn | (bound form) side; edge; boundary |
| 逐 | zhú | (bound form) to pursue; to chase; to drive away; one by one; individually |
| 渐 | jiǎn | to imbue |
| 口 | kǒu | mouth; classifier for things with mouths (people, domestic animals, cannons, wells etc); classifier for bites or mouthfuls |
| 进出 | jìn chū | to enter and exit; to go in and out; inflow and outflow (of goods, vehicles, funds etc) |
| 陆 | lǔ | land; continent; shore; to land; six (banker form); surname Lu |
| 商 | Shāng | Shang Dynasty (c. 1600–1046 BC); surname Shang |
| 枢 | ||
| 纽 | niú | to turn; button |
| 明代 | Míng dài | the Ming dynasty (1368-1644) |
| 永 | yǒng | forever; always; perpetual |
| 乐 | Lè | surname Le |
| 宣 | xuan | to declare; to announce; to publicize; to spread |
| 德 | Dé | Germany; German; abbr. for 德國|德国[De2 guo2]; variant of 德[de2] |
| 年间 | nián jiān | in the years of; during those years; period (of dynasty or decade) |
| 三宝 | sān bǎo | the Three Precious Treasures of Buddhism, namely: the Buddha 佛, the Dharma 法 (his teaching), and the Sangha 僧 (his monastic order) |
| 太监 | tài jiàn | court eunuch; palace eunuch |
| 郑 | zhěng | surname Zheng; (hist.) the Zheng state (a Zhou-dynasty vassal state) |
| 率领 | shuài lǐng | to lead; to command; to head |
| 宝船 | bǎo chuán | Chinese treasure ship, a type of large sailing ship in the fleet of Ming dynasty admiral Zheng He 鄭和|郑和[Zheng4 He2] |
| 舰队 | jiàn duì | fleet; CL:支[zhi1] |
| 七 | qī | seven; 7 |
| 下西洋 | xià Xī yáng | to sail west (from China) (used in reference to the 15th century voyages of Zheng He 鄭和|郑和[Zheng4 He2] to regions bordering the Indian Ocean) |
| 自 | zì | (bound form) self; oneself; from; since; naturally; as a matter of course |
| 十一 | Shí Yī | PRC National Day (October 1st) |
| 十三 | shí sān | thirteen; 13 |
| 第 | dì | (prefix indicating ordinal number, as in 第六[di4 liu4] "sixth"); (literary) grades in which successful candidates in the imperial examinations were placed; (old) residence of a high… |
| 四次 | sì cì | fourth; four times; quartic |
| 航行 | háng xíng | to sail; to fly; to navigate |
| 船队 | chuán duì | fleet (of ships) |
| 首次 | shǒu cì | first; first time; for the first time |
| 抵 | dí | to press against; to support; to prop up; to be equal to; to match; to mortgage; to arrive at; to reach |
| 达 | Dá | surname Da |
| 位于 | wèi yú | to be located at; to be situated at; to lie |
| 后 | Hòu | surname Hou; back; behind; rear; afterwards; after; later; post- |
| 每次 | měi cì | every time |
| 远航 | yuǎn háng | to travel a great distance by sea or air; voyage; long-haul flight |
| 皆 | jie | all; in all cases |
| 必 | bì | certainly; must; will; necessarily |
| 到此 | dào cǐ | hereto; hereunto |
| 地 | de | -ly; structural particle: used before a verb or adjective, linking it to preceding modifying adverbial adjunct |
| 据 | jǔ | according to; based on; evidence |
| 随行 | suí xíng | to accompany |
| 事 | shì | matter; thing; item; work; affair; CL:件[jian4],樁|桩[zhuang1],回[hui2] |
| 马 | Mǎ | surname Ma; abbr. for Malaysia 馬來西亞|马来西亚[Ma3 lai2 xi1 ya4] |
| 欢 | huān | variant of 歡|欢[huan1]; joyous; happy; pleased; hubbub; clamor; variant of 歡|欢[huan1]; a breed of horse; variant of 歡|欢[huan1] |
| 著 | zhù | to make known; to show; to prove; to write; book; outstanding |
| 瀛 | yīng | ocean |
| 涯 | yā | border; shore |
| 胜 | shèng | victory; success; to beat; to defeat; to surpass; victorious; superior to; to get the better of; better than; surpassing; superb (of vista); beautiful (scenery); wonderful (view); … |
| 览 | lǎn | to look at; to view; to read |
| 信 | xìn | letter; mail; CL:封[feng1]; to trust; to believe; to profess faith in; truthful; confidence; trust; at will; at random |
| 星 | xīng | star; heavenly body; satellite; small amount |
| 槎 | ||
| 国民 | guó mín | nationals; citizens; people of a nation |
| 富 | Fù | surname Fu |
| 市 | shì | market; city; municipality (administrative unit); (literary) to trade; to buy and sell goods |
| 肆 | sì | four (banker's anti-fraud numeral); unrestrained; wanton; (literary) shop |
| 繁荣 | fán róng | prosperous; booming |
| 西洋 | Xī yáng | the West (Europe and North America); countries of the Indian Ocean (traditional) |
| 番 | Pān | surname Pan |
| 大国 | dà guó | a power (i.e. a dominant country) |
| 明 | Míng | Ming Dynasty (1368–1644); surname Ming; Ming (c. 2000 BC), fourth of the legendary Flame Emperors, 炎帝[Yan2 di4] descended from Shennong 神農|神农[Shen2 nong2] Farmer God |
| 更 | gēng | to change or replace; to experience; one of the five two-hour periods into which the night was formerly divided; watch (e.g. of a sentry or guard) |
| 誉 | yǔ | to praise; reputation |
| 两 | liǎng | two; both; some; a few; tael, unit of weight equal to 50 grams (modern) or 1⁄16 of a catty 斤[jin1] (old) |
| 朝 | Cháo | abbr. for 朝鮮|朝鲜[Chao2 xian3] Korea |
| 廷 | tíng | palace courtyard |
| 交 | jiāo | to hand over; to deliver; to pay (money); to turn over; to make friends; (of lines) to intersect; variant of 跤[jiao1] |
| 甚 | shén | variant of 什[shen2] |
| 密 | Mì | surname Mi; name of an ancient state |
| 频 | pīn | frequency; repetitious |
| 繁 | fán | old variant of 繁[fan2]; surname Po |
| 时 | shí | old variant of 時|时[shi2]; surname Shi |
| 处于 | chǔ yú | to be in (some state, position, or condition) |
| 波斯语 | Bō sī yǔ | Persian (language); Farsi |
| 通用语 | tōng yòng yǔ | common language; lingua franca |
| 言 | yán | words; speech; to say; to talk |
| 帖 | ||
| 儿 | ér | child; son |
| 帝 | dǐ | (bound form) emperor; sovereign; supreme deity |
| 国势 | guó shì | national strength; situation in a state |
| 范 | fǎn | pattern; example |
| 围 | wéi | to encircle; to surround; all around; to wear by wrapping around (scarf, shawl) |
| 之内 | zhī nèi | inside; within |
| 本人 | běn rén | I; me; myself; oneself; yourself; himself; herself; the person concerned |
| 重建 | chóng jiàn | to rebuild; to reconstruct; to reestablish |
| 蒙 | mēng | (literary) sincere; honest; genuine |
| 业 | Yè | surname Ye |
| 志 | zhì | aspiration; ambition; the will; sign; mark; to record; to write a footnote |
| 多次 | duō cì | many times; repeatedly |
| 扣 | kǒu | to fasten; button; knot; to confiscate; discount; to smash, spike or dunk (a ball); (fig.) to tag a label on sb |
| 押 | ya | to mortgage; to detain in custody; (literary) to sign |
| 明朝 | Míng cháo | Ming Dynasty (1368-1644) |
| 筹 | chōu | chip (in gambling); token (for counting); ticket; resource; way; means |
| 划 | huá | to row; to paddle; profitable; worth (the effort); it pays (to do sth); to cut; to slash; to scratch (cut into the surface of sth); to strike (a match) |
| 征 | zhēng | journey; trip; expedition; to go on long campaign; to attack; to invite; to recruit; to levy (taxes); to draft (troops); phenomenon; symptom; characteristic sign (used as proof); evidence |
| 惟 | ||
| 终 | zhong | end |
| 病 | bìng | illness; CL:場|场[chang2]; disease; to fall ill; defect |
| 逝 | shǐ | (of flowing water or time) to pass by |
| 途 | tū | way; road |
| 而 | ér | and; as well as; and so; but (not); yet (not); (indicates causal relation); (indicates change of state); (indicates contrast) |
| 作罢 | zuò bà | to drop (subject etc) |
| 故 | gù | happening; instance; reason; cause; intentional; former; old; friend; therefore; hence; (of people) to die, dead |
| 明初 | Míng chū | the early Ming (i.e. from second half of 14th century) |
| 属 | shǔ | category; genus (taxonomy); family members; dependents; to belong to; subordinate to; affiliated with; be born in the year of (one of the 12 animals); to be; to prove to be; to con… |
| 邦 | bāng | (bound form) country; nation; state |
| 外 | wài | outside; in addition; foreign; external |
| 中外 | zhōng wài | Sino-foreign; Chinese-foreign; home and abroad |
| 系 | xì | to connect; to relate to; to tie up; to bind; to be (literary); system; department; faculty; to tie; to fasten; to button up |
| 上 | shǎng | used in 上聲|上声[shang3 sheng1] |
| 具有 | jù yǒu | to have; to possess |
| 深 | shēn | old variant of 深[shen1]; (lit. and fig.) deep |
| 意义 | yì yì | sense; meaning; significance; importance; CL:個|个[ge4] |
| 初 | chū | (bound form) at first; initially; (bound form) first; early; (bound form) (in lunar calendar dates, before numerals 1–10) days 1 to 10 of a month, as in 初三[chu1 san1] "the third" |
| 葡 | pū | Portugal; abbr. for 葡萄牙[Pu2 tao2 ya2] |
| 萄 | tāo | used in 葡萄[pu2 tao5] |
| 牙人 | yá rén | (old) middleman; broker |
| 方 | Fāng | surname Fang |
| 索 | suó | rope; to search for; to demand; to exact; to reduce; surname Suo |
| 征服 | zhēng fú | to conquer; to subdue; to vanquish |
| 自此 | zì cǐ | since then; henceforth |
| 落入 | luò rù | to fall into |
| 欧 | Oū | Europe (abbr. for 歐洲|欧洲[Ou1 zhou1]); European Union (abbr. for 歐盟|欧盟[Ou1 meng2]); surname Ou |
| 掌 | zhǎng | palm of the hand; sole of the foot; paw; horseshoe; to slap; to hold in one's hand; to wield |
| 控 | kǒng | to control; to charge; to invert a container to empty it; enthusiast; -phile or -philia |
| 直至 | zhí zhì | lasting until; up till (the present) |
| 由 | yóu | to follow; from; because of; due to; by; via; through; (before a noun and a verb) it is for ... to ... |
| 萨 | sǎ | (component of Buddhist transliterations such as 菩萨 bodhisattva); surname Sa |
| 非 | Fēi | abbr. for 非洲[Fei1 zhou1], Africa |
| 王朝 | wáng cháo | dynasty |
| 收复 | shōu fù | to recover (lost territory etc); to recapture |
The Strait of Hormuz is a narrow waterway connecting the Persian Gulf to the Gulf of Oman, and is the only maritime passage from the Persian Gulf to the open sea, earning it the nickname ‘the master valve of the world’s oil reserves.’ The northern shore belongs to the Islamic Republic of Iran, where the important port of Bandar Abbas is located; the southern shore comprises the Musandam Governorate, an exclave of the Sultanate of Oman, and the United Arab Emirates. The strait is approximately 167 kilometers (90 nautical miles) long, with a width ranging from 39 kilometers (21 nautical miles) to 97 kilometers (52 nautical miles), narrowing to only about 33 kilometers at its narrowest point. In the central part of the strait, closer to the Iranian side, lies Qeshm Island, the largest island in the Persian Gulf, which belongs to Iran.
Strategic Importance
Because the countries along the Persian Gulf possess the world’s richest oil and natural gas resources, the Strait of Hormuz has become a critical chokepoint for global energy transportation, with its strategic importance ranking first among all maritime trade routes worldwide. In 2025, an average of approximately 20 million barrels of crude oil and petroleum products are transported through this strait daily, accounting for about one-quarter of global seaborne oil trade and equivalent to one-fifth of global petroleum liquid consumption. Saudi Arabia is the largest crude oil exporter through this strait, accounting for approximately 38% of the strait’s total crude oil flow; other exporting countries include Iraq, Kuwait, the UAE, Qatar, and Iran. Approximately 93% of Qatar’s and 96% of the UAE’s liquefied natural gas exports must pass through this strait to reach international markets, together accounting for about one-fifth of global LNG trade.
The oil transported through the strait primarily flows to Asian markets, with China, India, Japan, and South Korea being the four major importing countries, collectively receiving approximately 69% of the crude oil flowing through this strait. China alone depends on the Strait of Hormuz for about one-third of its oil supply. Alternative routes bypassing the Strait of Hormuz are extremely limited: currently, only Saudi Arabia’s East-West Pipeline (Petroline) and the UAE’s Abu Dhabi Crude Oil Pipeline (ADCOP) have bypass capability, with a combined spare capacity of approximately 3 to 5 million barrels per day – far insufficient to compensate for the transportation gap that would result if the strait were closed. For this reason, whether shipping through this strait remains unimpeded directly affects global energy security and economic stability.
Historical Development
The Strait of Hormuz connects the Persian Gulf with the Indian Ocean and has been a vital hub for East-West trade since ancient times. At the end of the 13th century, the Venetian traveler Marco Polo passed through this area on his return journey and recorded it in his travelogue. From the mid-14th century onward, the Kingdom of Hormuz (referred to in ancient Chinese texts as ‘Hulumosi’ or ‘Hulumosi’) rose along the strait, gradually monopolizing trade at the mouth of the Persian Gulf and becoming an important commercial hub between the Indian Ocean and the West Asian continent.
During the Yongle and Xuande periods of the Ming Dynasty, Admiral Zheng He led his treasure fleet on seven voyages to the Western Seas. Starting from the fourth voyage between 1413 and 1415, the fleet first reached the Kingdom of Hormuz at the mouth of the Persian Gulf, and every subsequent voyage included this destination. According to ‘The Overall Survey of the Ocean’s Shores’ by the interpreter Ma Huan and ‘The Overall Survey of the Star Raft’ by Fei Xin, who accompanied the voyages, Hormuz was described as a place where ‘all the people are wealthy,’ with thriving markets, and was considered a great nation among the foreign lands of the Western Seas. The ‘History of Ming’ further praised it as ‘a great nation of the Western Seas.’ During the Yongle and Xuande reigns, the Ming court maintained close relations with the Kingdom of Hormuz, with frequent exchanges of envoys. At that time, Hormuz was within the sphere of influence of the Timurid Empire, where Persian served as the lingua franca. Timur himself harbored ambitions of rebuilding the Mongol Empire, repeatedly detained Ming envoys, and planned an eastern expedition against the Ming Dynasty, though he ultimately died en route. Thus, the diplomatic exchanges between the early Ming Dynasty and the Timurid Empire and its vassal states hold profound significance in the history of Sino-foreign relations.
In the early 16th century, the Portuguese arrived in the East, and the Kingdom of Hormuz was conquered by Afonso de Albuquerque in 1507. From then on, the strait fell under the control of European colonial powers until it was recovered by Persia’s Safavid Dynasty in the 17th century.